Technique for exchanging datagrams between application modules

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to the exchange of datagrams between application modules executed by machines connected to a telecommunications network. A method implementation of the technique presented herein comprises several steps performed or triggered by a first machine of the machines. The steps comprise executing one or more application modules, each of which being associated with an application module address and configured to exchange the datagrams using the associated application module address. The steps further comprise establishing a plurality of tunnels between the first machine and a plurality of second machines different from the first machine, each of the tunnels being associated with a tunnel endpoint address for one of the second machines. Still further, the steps comprise forwarding the datagrams between the application modules and tunnels depending on the application module address.

1 .- 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . A method of exchanging datagrams between application modules executed by virtual machines connected to a telecommunications network, wherein the virtual machines are executed on one or more physical machines, the method comprising the following steps performed or triggered by a first virtual machine of the virtual machines:
 executing one or more application modules, each of which is associated with an application module address and configured to exchange the datagrams using the associated application module address;   establishing a plurality of tunnels between the first virtual machine and a plurality of second virtual machines different from the first virtual machine, each of the tunnels being associated with a tunnel endpoint address for one of the second virtual machines; and   forwarding the datagrams between the application modules and the tunnels depending on the application module address.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising:
 maintaining a table, the table associating each of the application module addresses with one of the tunnel endpoint addresses,   wherein the datagrams are forwarded by querying the table based on the application module address.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the forwarding includes transforming the datagrams between a first protocol used by the one or more application modules and a second protocol used by the plurality of tunnels. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the second protocol is a tunneling protocol. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein those datagrams that are forwarded towards the tunnels are encapsulated according to the tunneling protocol. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein those datagrams that are forwarded towards the one or more application modules are extracted according to the tunneling protocol. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the application module address and the tunnel endpoint address relate to different layers of a protocol stack used for the exchanging of the datagrams. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the application module address includes an L2 address, and/or wherein the tunnel endpoint address includes an L3 address. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein each of the application modules is associated to a virtual Ethernet port of the first virtual machine. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the virtual Ethernet ports are implemented in a kernel of an operating system of the first machine. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein at least one of the first machine and the second machines is located in a data center, and the telecommunications network includes a data network within the data center. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the forwarding includes receiving or sending data packets through the tunnels. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the forwarding includes:
 receiving data packets through the tunnels, the received data packets including a source address field indicative of the tunnel endpoint address;   extracting the datagrams from the received data packets, the extracted datagrams including a destination address field indicative of the application module address; and   sending the extracted datagrams to the application module specified by the application module address.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the forwarding includes:
 obtaining the datagrams from the application modules, the obtained datagrams including a source address field indicative of the application module address;   encapsulating the obtained datagrams in data packets including a destination address field indicative of the tunnel endpoint address depending on the application module address; and   sending the data packets through the tunnel specified by the tunnel endpoint address.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein a payload of the data packets includes the datagrams. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the forwarding includes:
 forwarding a first datagram from one of the application modules to one of the tunnels; and   forwarding a second datagram from the one tunnel to the one application module in response to the first datagram.   
     
     
         63 . An electronic device for exchanging datagrams between application modules executed by virtual machines connected to a telecommunications network, wherein the virtual machines are executed on one or more physical machines, the electronic device being configured to perform or trigger performing the following steps performed by a first virtual machine of the virtual machines:
 executing one or more application modules, each of which is associated with an application module address and configured to exchange the datagrams using the associated application module address;   establishing a plurality of tunnels between the first virtual machine and a plurality of second virtual machines different from the first virtual machine, each of the tunnels being associated with a tunnel endpoint address for one of the second virtual machines; and   forwarding the datagrams between the application modules and the tunnels depending on the application module address.   
     
     
         64 . A virtual machine for exchanging datagrams between application modules, the virtual machine being connected or connectable to a telecommunications network, wherein the virtual machine is executed on one or more physical electronic machines, comprising:
 an executing module for executing one or more application modules, each of which is associated with an application module address and configured to exchange the datagrams using the associated application module address;   an establishing module for establishing a plurality of tunnels between the first virtual machine and a plurality of second virtual machines different from the first virtual machine, each of the tunnels being associated with a tunnel endpoint address for one of the second machines; and   a forwarding module for forwarding the datagrams between the application modules and the tunnels depending on the application module address.